NZ military nearly bombed (NZ) civilian pilot

A civilian pilot risked being bombed by an Orion in February after flying through the Kaipara Air Weapons Range, the Civil Aviation Authority's magazine has revealed.

An Orion was conducting a bombing run on the morning of February 28, when a light aircraft entered the range, Royal New Zealand flight safety officer, Squadron Leader Rachel James, wrote in the latest issue of Vector magazine.

The plane was spotted by the range control officer approaching from the north at 1250 feet, Squadron Leader James wrote, and the Orion responded by ceasing the bombing run and climbing to 3000ft.

Squadron Leader James said the pilot was lucky, and had the range control officer not been so alert, the situation could have been different.

The incident served to show the danger of flying into the active military areas like Kaipara, Waiouru and the Manawatu.